and one last thing
One more issue to develop an opinion on (even though it's not going to affect our state anytime this era): merit-based pay. I would be pro-MPB if only we could come up with some measure of merit other than the almighty test score. Yes, they measure some things. Important things, even some essential things. But they do not measure EVERYthing or THE MOST important things. It's not just an issue of why should science teachers' merit-based percentage be based on reading and math scores; it's also an issue of the further (and further) diminishing arts, sciences, and character education programs.
National Board Certification and its monetary bonuses - that is merit-based pay. Yes it's a paltry $5k/yr bonus but that's the general direction MBP should go in. Portfolios, standards-based thematic units, professional collaboration - a greater, much more telling measure of professional development and teaching merit than a 4 percentage point hike in a handful of students. Incidentally, the other five handfuls under the same teacher's wing didn't make it because they're neglected/poor/ESL/hungry and tired on the day of the test.
You tell me ...
3 comments:
i think teachers need to get paid more, period.
and that's why i like you.
that's the only reason why you like me? *sniff* haha. investing in our future is the way i look at it. otherwise we're going to have a generation of kids that don't know where the 'any' key is on the keyboard.
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